Bristol City Hall

— Bristol City Council

Challenge & Solution

Prior to refurbishment, Bristol City Hall accommodated only 500 people sitting at desks and in private offices surrounded by paper and clutter.

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It now supports up to 2000 staff who use the work settings as a shared resource as part of a more mobile and smarter way of working. Changing traditional office behaviours and expectations of ownership of space has been at the heart of the project.

PLACEmaking led on the transformation of the working environment, the interior architecture and the cultural change management and communications. The £17 million building costs created a new, modern and highly efficient working environment.

Prior to refurbishment the building accommodated only 500 people sitting at desks and in private offices surrounded by paper and clutter. Now it supports 2000 staff sharing modern work settings, technologies and facilities. Changing behaviours and expectations has been at the heart of the BWP investment programme.

The Grade 2* heritage status of the building has been respected by the designers, sensitively used as a back-drop to create a vibrant working environment with enhanced public facing spaces. Improved technologies and upgraded furniture and fittings ensures the building will better support the changing needs of the council for years to come and provide high quality facilities to attract increased use by business, cultural, academic and arts communities.

The democratic focus of the building has been upgraded with better public access and services now in place to make City Hall’s facilities more attractive for a wider range of activities and events.